Unfold your love
by Freeze-Eternity-4ever
Summary: / The thing is, Rose Weasley is has and always will be the Weasley who is just beyond the grasp of human understanding. / "I'm not sure where you're going with this." / "Oh I'm going to hell of course." She muttered. / Features Scorrose, Albus/OC. R&R!
1. Introductions

**A Note-I wanted to do this for a long time now. By the way it's a slow romance. If it's not your cup of tea, read it anyway. And this is mainly Scorpius on his own here. The next chapter will have more of Rose. And Rose may be a bit irritating, because I've based her ticks upon most of my own. I don't own much. Ps-those who don't know Cassia, she's an OC I created. If you want to know more about her and Albus (since this fic is mainly scorrose) check out my fic A two-sentence-story. I must apologise for Scorpius's slightly suggestive thoughts. Again don't have much money to own anything except Cassia.**

 _Scor,_

 _I'm really sorry I can't come over this summer, someone's taken ill. How's your summer been? Let me guess, you got prefect. If not, I would be pleased to inform you that I made captain of the Quidditch team. Cassia is here too, and tells me to write her hello. Apparently, Rose invited her over and now she's taken to camping in my room. Bloody bitch. Oh great, now she's read this and is trying to aim James' smelly socks at me._

 _Rose is annoying the hell out of me. I wish that you were here Scor. No seriously, we would get to breathe. She's been using Fred's wand to charm all the quills and pen to obey her comman_

 **Albus is a prick!**

 _Stop writing in my letter Rose, go write your own letter._

 **Hi Scorpion!**

 _Rose I'm warning you_

 **Alby sends his love,**

 _What? No!_

 **And hugs,**

 _I'd rather die you know that!_

 **And sugary kisses**

 _You know me better than that Scor!_

Hey Scorpius!

 _Not you too Cassia!_

What? Just trying to save myself some parchment here

 **Yeah Al you could take a leaf out of her book**

 _Sorry about that, now can I end my letter?_

You may,

 **NOT**

 _Rose!_

Let him finish Rose, he's a prick

 **Alright mother, buh-bye Scorpion!**

 _PS-James and Dominique made Head boy and Head girl, if you made prefect, James has a long speech prepared which he would give in Dom'd let him speak._

 _Albus_

(And Cas, if you are really keen to know)

I put the letter down, a smirk tugging at my lips.

Rose Weasley was different. Now that being said, one could see that she wasn't the same as the rest. If you were looking for descriptions of her nonexistent beauty, I would ask you to keep on dreaming.

And if she's become a fucking veela over the summer holidays, my apologies to the world.

I have known her since the day I stepped into the Hogwarts express. Well, technically it was Albus Potter and Cassia Shorett whom I met before her along with a bombardment of Weasleys. Who else could buy the contents entire sweet trolley, finish them in half an hour and then be hungry for more?

You surely do know Albus 'Al _I'm-so-cool'_ Potter? Son of the Chosen one? If not, you must be new to our world. For a brief description, I would just say- a mass of black hair, wicked on a broom, green eyes and maybe the first Potter in Slytherin.

Pompous bastard if you ever met one. And he knows it.

"You don't care but I do!"

"It's a house not a way of life!"

Cassia 'Cas' Shorett on the other hand, practically demands for an introduction, for she isn't the one to beg- if you know what I mean.

Whilst adored by most of the male population at Hogwarts, I can't see the appeal. Maybe petite, dark eyed brunettes aren't my thing. Well she could talk for the entire universe, her and Al. What I mean is that she knows her way around words. Gets us out of trouble.

 _How could I forget Alice?_ Alice Longbottom is the clumsiest person I've ever met. You hear that crash? I bet that she's coming down the way. I have to admit, she is a something to look at though, with her sunny blonde hair and blue eyes and a terrific bod-I meant  face.

Being the Hufflepuff daughter of the Head of Gryffindor, it's kinda obvious that she is a brat, a spoilt one at that.

And saving the best (or the worst if you may) for the very end, I would like a drum roll for Rose Weasley.

The only person who has managed to infuriate Professor Longbottom _thrice_ in a row, I mean that man is always smiling, it's just odd to see him screaming his lungs out. Bushy mass of red hair and eyebrows worse than Hagrid's, coupled with blue, orb-like eyes. Retarded Gryffindor. No offense to those in that house, but I just don't like what is supposed to be her 'bravery', it's more like _foolhardiness_ in her case.

I completely forgot (or carefully ignored to- for dramatic effect) mention myself.

My name is Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy and I am Slytherin, fifth year and newly-made prefect, at this very moment standing in my brand-new pyjamas carefully combing my hair in front the mirror in my room, which seems to have turned -if possible- even more slivery/platinum-y with age. Father says that I can do nothing to stop that, it's in my genes along with those grey eyes. Some heriditary crap. I could always dye my hair, but dang! I looked fine the way I am…

I quickly showered and changed into my robes (seeing that we were going apparate to the platform there was no need for muggle clothing) and then with painstaking care fixed my prefect's badge to my robes.

"Scorpius!" That would be my mum, coming up to force something into my trunk.

"What did I forget now?"

"Your dress robes my dear!"

I barely managed to stifle my groan as Astoria Malfoy levitated a package covered with brown paper onto the bed, which I promptly moved into my trunk. They were the latest edition of velvet robes from _Twilfitt and Tattings._

Apparently there was going to some celebration of some sort at the end of the year to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. Big deal!

Alright I shouldn't be saying that. I shouldn't be saying that at all. The war was a big deal, but come on, dress robes? What am I sixty-four?

Now the reason why I started off on the account if my friends- Rose Weasley in particular is mainly due to the fact that she drove me nuts last year. _Nuts_. I must say, if she were to participate in an ' **Annoy Scorpius Malfoy** ' challenge, she'd win hands down. Always just going blah, blah, blah...I won't go into the details; you'll understand what I'm saying soon after you meet her.

"Be well Scorpius, be well." I had to refrain from rolling my eyes here. If you knew Draco Malfoy well, you'd realise that he uses this phrase in _every single scenario_ possible.

"Write regularly, don't get into danger and-"

" _Don't set a foot in the forbidden forest_ , yeah mum I know that by now!" I leaned back as she made an attempt to stroke my hair.

And then with a resounding crack we apparated onto the platform and another crack later my parents were gone. They had only once done it the ' _proper_ ' way, when I had started Hogwarts. After that, it was just this.

"Scor!" I turned around to find my best friend dragging along with his little sister Lily, Cas, and unfortunately Rose. I tried my best to not notice her toothy grin and diverted my attention to the fact that Cas and Al were back on speaking terms.

"Scorpion!" Rose energetically waved at me; it was hard to ignore her seeing that she had grown -if possible- even taller.

"Al! What on earth are you doing, here of all places?" I asked, as he grinned in response.

He slightly puffed his chest out, making sure that his badge bearing 'Quidditch Captain' on his robes was well within my sight, and I followed suit; ensuring that my prefect badge didn't go unnoticed, with Cas rolling her eyes in the background.

"Honestly Scorpius!"

"Oh I don't know Scor," he said pretending look around for something, squinting his eyes, "I was just looking for the Hogwarts express! But I can't seem to find it, you see it?"

"He's gone insane over the summer." Cas said apologetically.

"Yeah, look at her she's bonkers!" Al said pointing his wand at her in a defensive stance, those two were weird.

"Has anyone seen my newt?" Rose fumbled about, until someone handed it over to him.

Lily on the other hand was clinging onto her brothers' arm, looking slightly terrified. She looked at me, gave a yelp and let go of her brother. Al and Cas broke off their mock-duel and simultaneously gave me a sorry look.

"She fancies you." Cas said looking bored.

"Since she was ten." Al added looking equally uninterested.

I snickered, Lily's little fancy was known to the entire of Hogwarts by now. Merlin, I thought that she would be over it by now. She was in her third year for heaven's sake! And to top that, she never said anything around anybody. I'm doubtful whether she's capable of speaking or not.

"Stop that for now! The express will start anytime soon!" And lo, Rose Weasley has spoken, she'd always had a soft spot for her cousin.

As they say, birds of a feather...

Whilst Albus and I took turns to carry our trunks in, each helping the other, Rose dragged two (Cas' and hers, if you were wondering) singlehandedly. I doubt her being human by now.

We soon found a compartment and Rose and Cas took their usual perches by the window and Al and I parted ways with them as I headed for the prefects compartment and Al went to his girlfriend, Alice Longbottom.

Alright I know that I never really mentioned those two, but seriously, they just hit off before the end of our fourth year. I personally don't predict for them to last long, not with Alice's eyes set upon that what's- _his_ -name? Ah, Eli Flint. Not suggesting much but Alice Longbottom? Tricky.

I soon reached the prefects carriage and was greeted by the head girl, Dominique. She's alright, if not a bit of a show-off. Her apparent beauty and her skill in charming guys, simply creeps me out.

My fellow prefect was Abbie Nott, a scrawny girl with really bad teeth. That's all I know about her, she's real secretive you know. Andy from Ravenclaw made prefect. And apparently that's exciting, seeing that I got a couple of unwanted hugs from him.

There were things like the rounds schedule, how prefects must conduct themselves, be an ideal role model to students and of course, the celebration.

James Potter was of course, the head boy and hadn't been able to stop his cousin from talking all over his apparently well prepared speech. James suddenly calmed down, his face taking on that slight moping look. Dominique had reached the topic I was dreading and-by the look on his face- James had been too.

"...I would like to start off on this topic by saying that this event is an extremely important segment of our year. As most fifth and seventh years would know, the whole thing would be taking place right after the OWLS and NEWTS. I want to make sure as Head Girl," I detected a faint hint of pride in her voice, but I might've imagined it," that everything's in ship shape. I'm sure that you must be wondering why everyone was asked to pack dress robes?"

And I knew the answer even before James interjected- looking at us all as if we were dead meat,

 _"There's going to be a dance, a ball if you'd like."_


	2. On the express

**A note-I don't own much. Care to review?**

"Ooh!" Said a Ravenclaw prefect, I think her name's Sara, or maybe Samantha, ah, can't be sure.

The rest of the prefects didn't happen to share the same excitement.

"A ball?"

"You mean we have to dance?"

"As in dance with girls?"

"In these hideous dress robes?"

"I don't know how to dance!"

"Are you nuts James?" A voice spoke up, a very _familiar_ voice, I turned around.

It was Keith Creevey.

Keith is the beater on the Gryffindor team and to say that I hated him, was an understatement. He is the sort do person who doesn't leave a single opportunity to humiliate me. How he made prefect, is beyond me.

"Move aside _old guy_!" He grunted, pushing me aside, causing me to ram my head into the compartment wall. _Hard_.

"What do you think you're playing at?" Dominique glared at Keith, who cowered. I told you she gets boys around her little finger.

"All of you divide into pairs and disperse for rounds, NOW! Malfoy are you OK?"

"OK, yeah." I said massaging the back of my skull.

Soon enough, everyone filed out of the cabin with the exception to James, Dominique and I, well that's because I was still trying to shake the dizzy feeling that came from the bang.

"Did you see Rose?" It took me a moment to realise that Dominique was addressing me.

"Yeah, why?" I asked slowly, elongating the why.

"Dom! Nothing in particular, don't you have rounds to go to, I can see your partner waiting." James said maybe a shade too brightly for my taste.

I turned around to find Abbie Nott glaring at me.

I quickly jogged out of the compartment.

"You take that way" she said pointing to the right.

"Yeah," I pointed to the compartment, "we meet up here to exchange routes?"

Abbie agreed and we split ways.

There wasn't much going on at this time. I had to separate a few second years rolling on the floor, punching the other in the stomach. Tiny little bastards. I swear I wasn't that small when I was in my second year. I carefully skipped Al and Alice's compartment because firstly, I wasn't really that curious and all of their activities in there and secondly, I know they weren't just _holding hands_ in there. Thankfully my round is almost up. I was starving anyway.

I passed around back and forth for some ten minutes or so and then decided to head straight for Cas' compartment. I have to report for the other route in thirty minutes or so, a chat wouldn't hurt.

"Here comes the prefect!" Cas grinned at me as I quickly slumped down on my seat.

"Have a pasty in celebration!" Rose said mockingly, chucking her pumpkin pasty at me.

"No thanks!" I brushed the mashed up thing off my robes.

Cassia began to enquire me about the prefects of the other houses. When I told her about Keith, she simply scowled as if to say 'I knew it!'. I was careful to not let the details of the ball slip. Though it would've been fun to see Cas' shocked face, it was better not to risk it.

She however generously offered me one of her chocolate frogs and half her cauldron cakes. I got Victor Krum again. All was fine until...

"Seen Al anywhere?" Rose asked innocently.

"He's right here Rosie!" Al pompously strut into the compartment.

It was obvious that he'd been necking Alice. His robes were disheveled and slightly torn, his face was red, his Quidditch captain's badge was pinned upside down and his tie was missing. There was also interestingly a bruise on the side of his neck

Cas suddenly burst into a fit of giggles.

"Why Cassia, find me funny?"

"More than usual yes."

" _Oh Alice I love you_!" Rose sang.

" _Oh Alice I do_!" Cas crowed.

" _Wherever you go_!" I joined in much to Al's displeasure.

" _My heart beats out to you_!" Rose finished just in time for Cas to give a bow.

"Oh shut up!" He said, a tinge of red on his cheeks.

"Is little Albie _blushing_?"

But before Al could respond the door opened to reveal Alice herself. She grinned and waved at us before putting her arms around Al's neck. She was wearing her school robes, which I must say were an inch too tight.

"Hello Alice!" Cas said, with a slight edge to her voice.

Alice gave a foolish little grin and whispered something in Al's ear which made him go beet red. Well it could've been because Alice had been gripping his neck way to tightly.

The compartment slowly broke into awkward conversation. Alice was sitting on Al's lap and was quite keen on resuming the ahem, session they were having. I couldn't help my gaze turn to them every few seconds.

"What say you Scorpion?" I was snapped out of my thoughts by Rose who was brandishing a small powder blue box.

"Er...What? I have to go for rounds, see you later."

I quickly rushed out of the compartment and ran up to the spot my fellow prefect and I settled upon at the prefects carriage. Abbie hadn't come back yet. I peered throughout the window to see what James and Dominique were up to.

They seemed to be in the middle of a heated debate. I never told this to anyone but when I'd once lost my hearing in our third year for a whole month (it was all Al's fault) I'd become quite adept at reading lips.

I pressed my face to the glass.

 _They-are-too-young-to-go-through-this-so-quickly-James_

 **They-aren't-babies-for-merlin's-sake-Dom**

 **You-don't-realise-the-complications-do-you**

 **I-think-they-have-a-right-to-know**

 _No-one's-sure-about-it_

 ** _Yet_ -trust-me-it-will-be-for-the-best**

 _We-could-break-it-to-them-slowly_

 **Rose-hasn't-got-**

I would've been able to read further had it not been for the arrival of Abbie. She gave me an odd look and went the other way. I decided not to dawdle and get on with the rounds quickly. It was best to get the conserve ration out of my mind, entirely.

Still, I couldn't help but wonder- what was the conversation about? Why was Rose so important? Who were they?

Yet, it seemed like no time as the evening came and I had to rush about telling the others to change into their robes.


	3. Sharing tables

**A Note- Hi! I have mention a few first names of our lovely authors here. There is EverChanging words (I used Hayley), potterheadwitch (sorry if you didn't want Hufflepuff),** **13Starlight-Mist (er, hi Brigg?) and me, myself et moi (I used Anne, not Arianne, I am not a Mary Sue!). Check their stories out too they are amazing (check my stories out too because I'm a Mary Sue, on the outside...). I want to own Harry Potter so bad! Will you buy it for me? For the whole Sorting hat song, check out my fic Muggleborn Squib. It's a collection of fun Poetry/wrock songs you'll all hopefully enjoy. Now enough publicity, let's get on withy the chapter...**

* * *

"Firs' years with me! Firs' 'ears come on!" The voice of Hagrid, the game keeper Rose above the entire commotion.

Al and I got off at the platform. Al was carrying a large bulging cage which contained Alice's tabby cat Putt. The reason I had to mention that was because that nightmare of a creature almost scratched by face off when I tried to force her into her cage. Being as clumsy as she was, I never saw Alice hurting that little devil reincarnate.

"Hand me that!" Al turned around to see Rose snatching the cage away from his hands.

"What d'you mean?"

"The cat's bloody leg's broken!"

Now knowing that this would lead to an argument I quickly sat in the first carriage I saw. Did you know the carriages are supposed to be run by Thestrals? I've never seen them and personally, I don't want to. From what their pictures tell, they are scary to look at and I don't want to see anyone die. I think Al is right about me being a girl.

The first years were heading to the boats as usual.

I caught sight of the person sitting in front of me. It was that Ravenclaw prefect-the one who had squealed- and a frightened looking second year with large, surprised looking eyes. I'd seen him at the Potters quite a few times.

"Excuse me?" A dreamy voice came to my ears, I turned around to find an identical boy standing at the foot of the carriage. Twins.

I quickly shifted to make room for the other twin and soon the carriages set into motion. The castle came into view and I couldn't help but admire it. The lights were coming from the windows, dancing against the stone walls and the air of magic around it.

Soon the carriages came to a halt and everyone got off. Al soon caught up with me.

"I see you met Lysie and Lorc."

"Who?"

"The twins, they're Aunt Luna's"

Luna Scamander, from what I collected, was a friend of the Potters and a magizoologist. She was always on the move looking for new creatures around the globe along with her husband. In my opinion, a pretty cool job.

At that very moment a tall man wearing a long black cloak ran past us, almost knocking the wind out of me. Professor Longbottom.

"Waiting for us?" Cas clapped Al on the back.

"Shut up and let me through!" A tornado of red hair zipped by my right.

"What's up with her?"

"She has to see professor Longbottom, something urgent."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Cas and I quickly walked in only to see Al standing stock still.

"What now?" I turned around to see Al running in the opposite direction.

"I HAVE TO BLOODY APOLOGISE TO ALICE FOR HURTING PUTT!"

"Don't wait for him Scor, he's about to get his arse whipped." Cas was now standing in the middle of the entrance hall.

I nodded and we both went inside.

"I can almost smell the food from here!" Cas said as I sat down in the space in front of her.

I decided not to comment. Where was Al?

"Hello Malfoy," Eli Flint greeted me.

Flint was a nice guy, just a tad bit too popular with the girls but quite alright. I've known him since first year when he helped me out of some trouble.

"Hey Flint," I said, acknowledging him.

"I heard your best mate made captain, going to try this year?"

"I don't think so, it's OWL year." To be honest, I hate Quidditch, so that excuse was a life saver.

"Ah I see," His face took on a knowing look which I didn't quite like, " What are you doing here?"

"Me?" I turned to see Albus, who must've obviously just rushed in.

"Not you, her!"

"Waiting for the feast to start of course!"I turned around to see Rose sitting right next to me.

"Rose," I said, drawing her name out.

"Yes, Scorpion?" She shot back, her indigo eyes widening.

Merlin, she was infuriating.

Others had noticed her presence too. A seventh year girl almost fell out of her chair as she leaned back to grab a look of the Gryfffindor. Whispers ran amongst the table and soon enough the whole great hall knew. The Gryffindor table was shooting glares at their fellow housemate.

"I'm absolutely starving! When is Hagrid going to come with the first years?"

"Rose you do realise that you are sitting in the Slytherin table? Not Gryffindor?"

"Oh look there they are! The first years!"

"So you won't go to your table?"

"I have permission from Professor Longbottom himself. Now how long does it take for these dwarves to walk up for the sorting?"

At that very moment professor Longbottom came in carrying a old and hat on a three legged stool. Everyone fell silent. The torn brim of the hat opened and the sorting hat burst into song.

 _I have known many a witch and wizard,_

 _It's time to know a few more_

 _Because it's me who shall see_

 _where you belong for sure_

 _If knowledge is what you treasure in your heart_

 _Then Ravenclaw will give you a head start_

 _If it's by cunning and ambition you heed_

 _Slytherin is where you'd succeed_

 _If for courage and bravery you long_

 _Then 'tis Gryffindor where you belong_

 _If loyalty and honesty are your friends_

 _Hufflepuff is where you'll end..._

My attention went to Rose, who was now staring at me, like I was some form of macabre entertainment. When she noticed that I was staring back, she fished a small sized packet of Bertie Bott's beans out of her pocket and offered them to me. I swatted her hand away.

 _...Now I can only say_

 _That united may the houses stay_

 _Forgetting the prejudices of old_

 _With our head up high and standing tall_

 _And be friends with all_

 _So don't you feel shy,_

 _I'm the sorting hat, just give me a try!_

Rose clapped enthusiastically as the sorting hat ended it's song. I couldn't help but snort. The sorting hat always talked about unity and all that crap. Sure, I have friends from other houses but the way the sorting hat emphasised on it was just irritating.

Professor Longbottom began to read the names off a long piece of parchment.

" _Avers, Hayley_ " "Slytherin!"

" _Drey, Anne_ " Gryffindor!"

" _Smith, Jamie_ " "Hufflepuff!"

Speaking of irritating, Rose was now playing with the empty golden plates, beating a steady rhythm with a dinner fork.

"I think I'll skip the deserts, I've had way too many sweets from the trolley..." Cas was now chatting with Abbie Nott and Annika Morris.

Albus was signalling to Alice across at the Hufflepuff table. His eyes were bulging out, something which I had always associated with Rose.

" _Von-Trapp, Brigitta_ " was sorted into Slytherin when Rose took out a black-orange newt from her pocket.

" _Nu_ , Scorpion. Scorpion, _Nu_ " She introduced the newt to me, much to Al's amusement.

"Why won't you let me ignore you in peace?" I snapped.

Rose didn't reply for moment when suddenly the food appeared on the tables.

The one thing I would desperately avoid you to see is a Weasley eating at the start of year banquet. And no, Rose's being a girl does not stop her.

She was practically shovelling the food into her mouth at top speed. I looked around to meet the gaze of Al, who looked rather sick and then ducked my head back down into my plate of mashed potatoes and ham pie.

Soon the plates cleared up and the desserts appeared. Rose was showing no signs of stopping, on the other hand my appetite seemed to have vanished.

"'Ab shum 'ake" she offered a small chocolate pastry at me.

"No thanks"

I looked over at the Gryffindor table. There was a mass of red hair, eating at the same pace as Rose. I wonder whether this was a regular ritual or if the Weasleys were an entire new species.

To my great relief the plates vanished the very next moment. Rose wiped her face off the sleeve of her robe. So much for _manners_...

The headmistress Professor McGonagall stood up. McGonnagall was a tall, imposing woman with small black, beady looking eyes. Don't be fooled by this disguise, she is more than looks.

"Welcome to the new students and to the old- _welcome back_ , to another year at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. I would like to go over a couple of rules and regulations," One of Al's cousins blew a raspberry at that, _Weasleys_.

"Thank you Mr Weasley. _The one with the blond hair Mr. Potter_. Now I have to remind all students that the going into the forbidden forest is strictly forbidden and out if bounds, which I hope some you have learnt by now," Al grinned, " the Quidditch trials will be held..."

She went on about the whole usual business, Quidditch blah, blah, Prefects... Don't break rules...

Cassia almost choked as McGonagall mentioned the Celebration Ball. Al on the other hand seemed to have gone into his own sweet dream world. Rose was staring at me, looking as though I'd _betrayed_ her.

The rest of the hall was no worse. The Gryffindor table was on the brink of causing a riot. Not that I wouldn't _appreciate_ it.

Soon enough she told the prefects to escort the first years to their respective common rooms. That was Abbie and my cue.

"First years come over here please! In a line!" I commanded, or at least tried to.

I watched as Abbie did the same. Soon enough a horde of eleven year-olds had gathered around. I saw Al and Cas going to the common room covering their mouths to stifle their amusement.

"Follow me please!" I signalled the first years.

Just before I was about to move ahead I caught the sight of Rose. She looked, _wilted_. Her face had that defeated look, the one you get when you forget the homework or lose a Quidditch match, only a hundred times worse.

I would've asked what was wrong but I had first years to lead, as Abbie made me realise by giving me a mean look. Evil, just evil.

"Come along then. Now here you have to be careful not to..."


	4. Numbers and Potions

**A Note- Hello people! Thanks for motivating me to finish this chappie so quickly. I hope to hear from all of you reviewers again. And Rose will never cease to be annoying! Deal with it! I don't own much but right now I have about six reviews? More will make me a rich girl (only if money were pounds/euros/galleons.-Arianne**

* * *

I don't know why, but I think that someone has it for me.

Rose Weasley came to the Slytherin table again this morning. I would've managed to ignore her had she not managed to dump her bag into my bowl of cereal, managed to tip her newt into the jug of pumpkin juice and ruffle my hair. My perfectly slicked back, well maintained, precisely cut hair ruffled. Professor Slughorn sympathised with me seeing that he took twenty points from Gryffindor for 'gross misconduct'.

The timetables were then handed out. The fifth year was a busy one.

To say the least, I was glad that I wasn't in Ancient Runes. So glad that I literally waltzed into the Arithmancy class. You know, with a spring in my step. Professor Vector, a blonde, long nosed woman was our teacher. She had a bad case of the smiles because she couldn't get one off her face no matter what.

I quickly grabbed a seat next to Flint, who gave me a curious look. Like he hadn't seen what had happened, hell, the whole of Great Hall had.

"Morning students!" She grinned, " How are we doing this year? Good I hope. Right then how many of you have finished the calculus on historical events and their relation to numbers? I want all hands up!"

I rolled my eyes and raised my hands along with Flint.

"Ex-cellent!" She trilled, "Now this year we shall deal with the specifics of numerically co-magical objects. Now take a cat and a panther for example. The have a relatable number twelve as..."

The lesson continued on. Arithmancy was amazing. Answers to everything were in a few calculations. Why study anything else if the answer is a bunch of numbers? Just the way those numbers would arrange themselves was a miracle. Vector may smile like a loon, but she was no idiot.

"Thank you class, now have a magical day ahead."

With that note, I checked with the time table. Double potions with Gryffindor, Lunch, transfiguration with Gryffindor, Charms with Gryffindor again, Defence with-you guessed it-Gryffindor. What is it with Gryffindor and Slytherin and Huffflepuff and Ravenclaw being grouped together? I wouldn't mind having a class with Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. Oh wait, we do have History of magic with them. Shame.

I reached the potions classroom just before the rest of the class and waited. Flint came and then there was Goyle and Nott and Morris. Soon enough all the Slytherins were there, including Al and Cas who took their usual places at the opposing ends of the classroom. Al at the front, Cas at the back.

The Gryffindors on the other hand took a good ten more minutes to arrive. Rose came in the end, followed by professor Slughorn.

Slughorn is a old, bald, pot-bellied man with a large moustache who is famously known for 'collecting' students from the halls of Hogwarts to form the Slug Club. All the Potters and Weasleys were in it since the day they arrived.

I'm in it too, probably because I managed to tell professor Slughorn that his magical number (which was eleven in case you wanted to know) was incredibly rare . I was just telling the truth. That earned me a spot and I now have to attend his godforsaken parties and meetings. The only plus side of them has been that I got to meet the famous Arithmancer Olivier Ascot.

"My favourite class!" The old walrus beamed, clapping Creevey on his shoulder.

The professor proceeded towards the blackboard.

"Today everyone has to brew a strengthening solution. The instructions are on the board, any extra ingredients can be taken from the store cupboard. The first pair to brew a successful potion will get fifty points to their respective houses!"

He tapped the blackboard with his wand and the instructions appeared.

"You may begin, NOW!"

At that I quickly ran into the store cupboard to grab the ingredients I needed before anyone else did. I was just heading out when a large figure bumped into me, causing me to drop the my only jar of eel's eyeballs. Creevey sneered at me as if trying to say that it was my own fault. I quickly headed back inside to check if there were any extra jars. There weren't. And down went the chance of me managing to finish a potion.

"'Lo Scorpion!" Rose Weasleywas at my working station with her ingredients.

Great, just what I needed.

"Go away Rose!" I groaned, shifting her bag of ingredients to the side.

"Slughorn told us to work in pairs and you and I are the only ones without a partner."

I looked around, Al was with Flint, Cas was with Morris, Nott and Goyle were chatting on the bench next to me. I swore and began to take the ingredients out of my bag. An idea struck me.

"Rose, d'you happen to have eel's eyeballs? You know those round things covered in slime?"

"Yeah, I do," she said searching her bag of ingredients,"voila!" She handed me the jar.

Rose Weasley was now officially a life saver.

"No need to thank me, let's get to work." Rose chimed as we quickly set the apparatus up.

The potion went smoothly, or as smooth as it could've been with Rose Weasley. She kept on listing off facts from the top of her head about every single ingredient we used, the cauldron which I was brewing with, the potion itself and why some potions explode if you don't stir them well.

"... I read somewhere that if you breathe the fumes of Felix felicis for too long, you'll have bad luck for the entire year!"

I raised my eyebrows, conveying my thanks for this utterly random fact. Will she ever stop talking? Does she even breathe?

"... The draught of death is tested by using a..."

"I DON'T CARE ROSE!" I yelled surprising everyone including myself.

Rose did an irritating miming motion with her hand and pretended to slap herself. But from that point onwards she remained as silent as a stone. Though I did hear her muttering something under her breath from time to time.

Soon enough our potion was the required shade of puce. We didn't make it on time but I was actually quite proud of what I'd done. Rose had raised her hand high up, but not before Goyle and Nott did.

Slughorn came up to the working benches, his moustache quivering with anticipation. He gave an approving nod at Al's potion, (to my delight) shook his head at Creevey's lime-green potion and gave a smile towards Goyle and Nott's concoction. At last he came to our bench.

"Ah! What do we have here?" I half expected him to turn his head away and say that the potion had failed, but before I could finish that train of thought, Slughorn gave me a huge smile.

"It seems that we have a winner here!"

I shot a triumphant grin at Al who smirked back.

"Fifty points to Mr Malfoy and Miss Weasley's respective houses!" I thought I heard Cas groan in the background.

"See you again?" Rose asked, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

I didn't reply.

Rose was again at the Slytherin table at lunch, babbling at the speed of light, but nothing could ruin my good mood. I quietly ate lunch next to Al and Flint, who were neck deep in a discussion about which Quidditch team was better-The Arrows or the Wasps.

The rest of the day passed in high spirits, with Al and Cas back to their regular mundane arguments, nothing could've been better. Since it was the first day back, there wasn't much homework to be done and I managed to trick Al into a game of wizarding chess with me. Cassia wasn't talking to him, again.

I only noticed Rose at dinner, when she came to the Slytherin again. The usual bout of muttering followed her but she was lost in her own world, humming her own tune.

I gazed at her face again as I leaved the great hall, it was the same forlorn expression of the night before. Life seemed to have drained from her face, her eyes gazing down on her now empty plate of food.

Not wanting to be caught staring, I jerked my head and quickly headed down to the common room.


	5. Scurvygrass

**A note- Oof! I had a busy week! I just barely managed to finish this. It's a bit confusing and if you find it confusing- that's exactly how I intended it to be. I don't own much except for Cassia. Review if you likey?**

"It's more of a jab than a flick!"

"I'm just copying the wand movement Flitwick's shown us!"

"Well what you're doing isn't proper!"

"Like you know what's proper and what's not!"

"I'm telling you it's not right! The hand is supposed to bend the other way!"

I must say, watching Albus and Cassia fight is much better entertainment than watching a Quidditch match. I mean they're so comically composed and rigid, you can't help but laugh. I had silenced my raven ages ago and they were still at it. Back-and-forth, forth-and-back, they could go on forever.

"What does the direction have to do with that now?" Al snapped

I rolled my eyes and grabbed Cassia's toad as it leaped off the table (it must have gotten bored too). As much as I loved my two friends, they could be really strange at times. Who fights the entire double period of charms over the 'proper' way to silence a frog?

I nodded to Annika Morris who was staring at me. Annika on the other hand gave me a small smile. I don't know why but my stomach did a backflip at that. I couldn't help it, she was nice looking and had a great figure so why not?

I gave her a small smirk and turned around to find Al staring at me. Did I ever tell you that he looks like a cat? He gave me an amused look and it almost seemed that he wanted to say something, but then turned around at the last second to give Cassia a piece of his mind.

By the time we went down to Herbology. Al and Cas weren't talking again. I don't know what the matter is with them. They fight in one class, then ignore each other and by evening they're talking again, only to fight. It's been going on since forever.

I saw Al meeting up with Alice, who was just walking out of the Greenhouse, covered in dragon dung. Personally, I wouldn't like to snog a girl who is covered in manure with her father only a greenhouse away. Al seems to disagree.

Disgusted, I caught up with Cassia, who was busy examining her fingernails.

"Saw Romeo and Juliet back there did you?" She snorted.

"Who and who?"

"Right, you aren't in muggle studies, they were a soppy romantic couple from a soppy romantic muggle play. Pity they died."

"Pity," I agreed.

We entered greenhouse three, I took the seat in the back with Cassia. Professor Longbottom had already arrived into the classroom. Al had rushed in time and was looking a bit mortified. Did they finally get caught? Oh I wish they did.

"Now today we will be studying about Scurvygrass. Would anyone like to tell me what that would be?"

Cas, Al and Rose's hands shot right up. Wait, haven't I read that somewhere? Scurvy was a disease and grass was a plant. That didn't help much.

I leaned forward to look at the grass in question. It looked like an ordinary garden weed except for the fact that it's shoot was blue and it had small gold and white buds all over it.

Professor Longbottom nodded towards Cassia who almost jumped out of her seat in her excitement to answer.

"Scurvygrass is a healing shrub used in befuddlement draughts whose flowers were originally used to treat the disease scurvy. It's blue tinge is due to the strong amounts of electric current flowing through it. It grows underwater but tends to come out for pollination." Cas smirked at Al, as though challenging him to prove her wrong.

"Excellent Miss Shorett, ten points to Slytherin. The Scurvygrass has a tendency to get agitated and shoot small electric currents if handled carelessly, I would recommend all of you to wear your gloves and stow wands away. Madam Pomfrey needs the flowers for a potion." The professor waved his wand and a pot filled with Scurvygrass flew over each table, suspended in the air.

"Now before you begin, I must warn you that Scurvygrass flowers have to be kept apart from each other at all costs. No flower should touch the other, which is why I will be handing out specific storing containers for them."

I opened my mouth to ask why when I heard a small explosion from the Gryffindor side. Rose Weasley was trying her best to dust the soot off her robes as she gave a sheepish grin to the professor.

Cas and I quickly went up to collect the containers and set to work. It wasn't that difficult once you got the hang of it. I still managed to get a few nasty shocks and a nice lovely burn.

Having extracted the flowers from a couple of leaves, I looked up to notice Al and Annika chatting amicably in the front row. I tried to catch her eye but she was too busy laughing at some joke of Al's. I couldn't help feeling a bit put out at that but I tried to ignore it. What was so funny about a joke? I seriously doubt that Al-

BOOM!

I was momentarily blinded by the smoke and ash when a voice called out.

"Who was that motherfucking idiot?"

It was that pompous git Finnegan who had spoken up.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr Finnegan control your language!"

Suddenly the smoke vanished. I looked around to see that hardly any damage had occurred. Professor Longbottom was looking unusually grim. I tried to explain but all that came out my mouth was a strange wheezing noise and smoke, loads of it. My throat was stinging.

"Someone please escort Mister Malfoy to the hospital wing. You are excused from class."

My heart skipped a beat as I saw Annika make her way towards me. Still, coughing, I took her arm and made my way out of the classroom. The coughing was inflaming my throat more than ever, the smoke leaving an ashen taste in the mouth. I soon doubled over wheezing and coughing.

"Easy there," Annika patted my back.

"'m fine!" I choked.

"You wait here, I'll bring Madam Pomfrey!" And before I could say a word, she was gone.

I stood there for what seemed like an eternity, coughing and panting like an idiot until-

"Here!" Teary-eyed, I barely grabbed the bottle of potion.

I quickly took a gulp. It was awful, but soon enough my throat seemed to clear and the pain stopped. I looked up to find Rose Weasley towering over me with her arms crossed. Where was Madam Pomfrey?

"You!" I breathed, trying to get as much air in as possible.

"I figured that Madam Pomfrey will take too long to arrive, so I asked Neville to let me give you this. It's a gurdyroot infusion, with salt to improve the taste." I couldn't help but snort. The taste had been disgusting.

"Where did you get that?" I asked, suddenly realising that there was some soot like stuff in my hair.

"Aunt Luna gave it to me last year. She sends three bottles to everyone each Christmas."

"Madam-Pomfrey-isn't-"

"I'll handle her, just got up to your common room, take off" she made a shooing motion with her hands.

"You are mental!" I said, not really pleased with the fact that Rose was beating me away like a moth, " _I'm a prefect!"_

"D'you want to spend the day in Hospital wing?"

"O-of course not!" I spluttered.

"Then go and run!"

I decided for once to listen to her, even though the consequences could make me lose my badge, it was better not to face that wraith of the hospital wing. I took a deep breath trying to check if my lungs were back to normal and I broke off into a sprint, only coming to stop when I was well inside in one of the corridors. Panting, I nearly ran into Roxanne Weasley, causing her to drop her broom and a large map of the Quidditch pitch. The last class of the day was finally over.

And as I lie awake in bed I can't help but wonder- _What on earth had just happened?_


	6. Trelawney

**A Note- Sorry for taking so long but I've been practically swamped with my studies. I'm sorry for the slight shaking of the writing style here, causing the 'confused' style from the previous chapter seem more like a recurring theme. My mind isn't really functioning right now. Also, I'm not sure if I'll update sooner after this and I will make no promises. But I'll try. I don't own much.**

"I don't think that Warrington would be a good idea for a beater, he's slower than a flobberworm, but still since he's given his name, we can't ask him to _not_ try." Al ran a hand through his hair, trying to smooth it down.

"You could ask Kristen to try," Flint suggested.

I snorted into my bowl of cereal. Kristen couldn't hit a fly, let alone a bludger. It was a miracle on how she managed to get up from her seat without. She simply must try. Absolutely _no_ doubt there, none at all.

"Yeah but she's more of seeker and that's my spot." It seemed as though Al wanted nothing better than to snap at Flint, his restraint showing through.

"Hmph," Flint grunted.

Trials for beaters were going to be held the next week and Al was a mess. It was going to be his first time ordering a team around. Cas and I were betting that he would faint halfway through his pep talk. A rough estimate really. As Cas had said- _"He could faint just before opening his gob."_

The truth is, I am scared of heights; batshit scared. I don't know why, but flying had always been a source of panic for me. My father had in his time been the seeker of the Quidditch team. He had bought me a broom when I was eight but I simply couldn't get it to obey my commands.

Al on the other hand was the star seeker (and now captain) who had managed to win the Quidditch cup twice in a row. Considering the fact that his own brother and cousins were in the opposing teams, he handled the thing pretty well.

Speaking of cousins, Rose had thankfully not shown up at the Slytherin table for breakfast. In fact, I don't think she had shown up at all. I couldn't see the large mass of red at the Gryffindor table. But I did spot Lily Potter chatting up with another third year who immediately pointed her finger at me causing Lily to look up at me for a fleeting moment and then ducked down, her face matching the colour of her hair.

Irritated, I looked around. No Rose Weasley. Giving a silent cheer of triumph, I tucked into an extra piece of bacon.

It was History of magic with Ravenclaw. Now that was a house I had nothing against. No annoying horde of Weasleys (with the exception of Louis Weasley, but he wasn't in my year really); no repetitive chants of Quidditch teams (as was the case with Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors and quite a lot of Slytherins, alright almost everyone excepting me and the Ravenclaws.); and the highlight of it all-no Rose Weasley.

History of magic flowed smoothly by, considering that I was half asleep during the class. Next up was... Oh, transfiguration.

This class is taught by the Headmistress, Professor McGonagall. She is probably the most famous woman in the whole of the wizarding world. She used to be the head of Gryffindor but since the war she'd taken over Dumbledore, the previous headmaster.

As of today, we're supposed to turn cotton-wool balls into mice and kittens.

Transfiguration had always seemed like a challenge. The person who does the spell first gets rewarded and so does the one who does it perfectly. To be frank, I've never earned points for doing the spell perfectly. Or for anything else for that matter.

But today -whether by fluke or talent I'll never know- I managed to turn my ball into a mouse.

Yes, it still had a cotton string for a tail but it was a mouse, a moving, _squeaking_ mouse. And I managed it before Cas. That in itself was an achievement, apart from earning a rare smile from McGonagall and ten points to the house.

Lunch was just a rush-and-by affair, one second I was piling food on my plate and then picking my bag up in the next. How _simple_ life becomes with the lack of chaos.

Then came charms, where Al and Cas fell into their well-practiced habit of arguing every single detail out. _Cheap entertainment_ , I call it. By the end of the lesson, they were friends once more.

The last class of the day was Divination, taught by Professor Trelawney this year. Her and the centaur Firenze together took the subject. To be honest, I liked Firenze more, because at least he didn't predict a death every few minutes.

Up the silvery ladder, my eyes met a dreary sight. It was a hot, stuffy dimly lit room overcrowded with sofas, couches and poufs gathered around small wooden tables. There were shawls draped all over the place and several sets of teacups, saucers and teapots were set on a wobbly stand in the corner next to cases containing glass balls.

"Hello dears!" Came a frail, indistinct voice from my left, causing me to nearly jump a foot in the air, instead I turned to face the old hag herself.

Trelawney was a thin, beetle like woman with large round eyes even further magnified by a giant pair of spectacles. She had that sort of charlatan-like mystic, quavering voice which made it sound as though she were drunk.

"This year the clairvoyance is glowing bright. Oh, I can see..." She trailed off, causing a few Gryffindor girls, who had settled themselves as close as they could to the professor to look up with a morbid sort of eagerness upon their faces.

"You, my boy!" She grabbed Finnegan's hand, causing him to pale visibly, "Is your friend alright?"

Finnegan nodded, causing Trelawney to shake her head and slowly amble away. I snickered.

"And you!" She pointed dramatically towards me.

"Yes?"

"My dear, Oh!" Her voice slowly rose to a crescendo, " I can feel the sight passing over, it's coming towards you. Can you feel it my boy?"

"Er... Sure?"

"Tell me then, what do you see?"

The main thing that you should know about Trelawney is that she loves it when you predict sad stuff, with lots of death and people dying and meaningless things that add up to someone dying. Which is _exactly_ what got me through every single exam in Divination.

" _Illness_ ," the word stumbled out of my mouth," _someone's ill, and time is running..._ "

The words seemed to be coming from a stranger's mouth, like I wasn't in control of what I was saying. Words simply poured out of my mouth.

" _Short. It's on the edge of the blade, a life!_ "

Suddenly it felt like a weight had been lifted from my throat. I gasped like a fish out of water suddenly conscious of everyone staring at me. Trelawney's expression was a mixture of jubilation and awe.

"Oh you have the _sight_!" She proclaimed her eyes crinkling with happiness. "The sight! You will be a fine seer my boy!"

Now I know that things like real prophecies did exist, but my father told me that they were usually filled with gibberish. I heard what I said and I don't think it sounded half barmy.

The moment the class ended, a trail of whispering began following me. The rumours contained everything from me having gone completely crazy (likely) to me being Filch and Trelawney's lovechild ( _highly_ unlikely).

Still in shock, I only barely managed to not knock a first year in my way on the ground.

"A message for you Mister Malfoy!" The boy squeaked, handing me a piece of parchment before scampering off.

The first thing that I saw in the note was the writing. It was a tiny cursive hand, with a lot of words being cut here and there, with ink splotches and smudged letters. The note ran-

' **Scorpion,**

 **Meet me at the Quidditch pitch after dinner. Don't bring Albus along. Tell no one**

 **-R. Weasley** '

Now there are only Weasleys in school who have ' _R. Weasley_ ' as their initials and I'm quite sure that Roxanne Weasley (who doesn't even know my first name) would call me to the Quidditch pitch for god knows what reason. I shoved the note in my pocket.

Al met up with me at the common room. Apparently he and Alice had been fighting. Cas was busy making him ' _feel better_ ' by insulting Alice, an activity she thoroughly relished.

 _"I told you she wasn't half sane!"_

 _"You're not making this any better, Cassia."_

Dinner came and went. There was still no sign of Rose Weasley at any of the house tables and that irked me. The note was practically burning a hole in my pocket.

Al and Alice had apparently kissed and made up. The _kissing_ , however hadn't stopped yet and probably wouldn't for the majority of the night. Cas had gone... Somewhere. It was time get out of here.

At the common room entrance I bumped into Annika Morris.

Now I would like to describe it as a grand dialogue of about an hour but what really happened was-

"Hi!" I said in the squeakiest voice I could've managed to speak in.

Annika brushed a dark lock of hair off her face, batting her eyes.

"Going someplace?" She asked.

"Uh- the quidditch pitch." I blurted out, my voice thankfully normal now.

"I didn't know you liked flying!" She smiled.

"I do," I fibbed, " _occasionally_."

"I see," she pursed her lips, "right I'll just-" she gestured towards the door.

"Yeah," I said, scrubbing the back of my neck.

I was almost distracted by that. So distracted that I had almost turned around to follow Annika inside.

The Quidditch pitch was an unusual place to meet up. But then, this was Rose Weasley we are talking about. Unusual for us is _second nature_ to her.

The sky was clear tonight with a slight breeze blowing. _Perfect flying conditions_ , as any Quidditch fanatic would tell you.

Rose Weasley soon came into view. She was holding a broom in her hand with a deep blue shawl draped about her shoulders, her hair barely fastened with a rubber band.

"'Lo Scorpion! Catch this and follow me!" She said, tossing me the broom- a slightly old and battered Nimbus 3001.


	7. Revelations sans consequences

**A note-I'm sorry my eccentric style of writing from the last two chapters is turning into a repetitve thing. Not after this chapter I promise. I'm sorry about my updating schedule but I'm just swamped with work and I can't promise being regular right now. The following chapters might push the T-rating but nothing NSFW in the story. I don't own much.**

"Catch this and follow me!"

Rose Weasley, having carelessly tossed a racing broom at me, quickly walked up to the centre of the pitch. The goal-hoops seemed to tower above us in the dark as I followed her, clasping the broom in one hand.

As much as I'd've loved you to think that I was thinking about Rose Weasley's highly eccentric behaviour, my mind had shifted to the thoughts of being on the Slytherin team.

Being a beater didn't sound bad, not bad at all. Besides Annika would be there at the stands, passionately cheering for me-the team to win. And once would've have won the match, she'd come up to me and slowly lean closer-

"Right!" Rose exclaimed, snapping the blissful fantasy out of my head, the witch.

My eyes were finally drawn to a really large, shaking trunk lying on the ground. Rose grimly opened it's fastenings. The box contained two bludgers and a beater's bat.

"Al," She said, fumbling with the bat," is holding trials next week. I-" she pointed the bat at me, "want you to try."

Of all the ways I could ever react to that I did what first came into my mind. I laughed. After the first chuckle, I couldn't hold it in any longer and outright burst into peals and peals of laughter snorting and cackling so hard that I was almost sure that I'd broken something.

I finally calmed down enough to look up at Rose's face, which had now turned a blotchy crimson, matching the colour of her hair. She looked like a petulant tot about to throw toys out of her crib.

"I want you to try?" Her voice was slow, almost confused at why I would dare to laugh at her suggestion.

"I don't fly."

"Then learn to!"

Giving her a disbelieving glance I stared at the broom in my hand. The handle was made of a sleek, slightly worn, dark wood which seemed to glimmer as I held it in my hand. The slightly twisted top gave me the impression of sea waves. Right below it in gold lettering was written-

Nimbus 3001-G

The tail of the broom was slightly frayed, with the twigs coming down in a jagged manner, creating a rippling effect as I lifted it up.

I kept staring at the broom, mesmerised by it's near perfection.

"Pretty innit?" Rose Weasley's voice again cut through my reverie.

"Yeah," I said, swallowing, "what on earth d'you want me to do? Become a Quidditch star overnight? Isn't that what your family has done?"

She didn't even bat an eyelid as she replied:

"Yeah, we're all on fleek with Quidditch, but you on the other hand..."

I turned to walk away. Typical, insulting the deatheater's kid to make him feel unwanted? How very first year of her. I looked down at my hand to see that I was still clinging on to the broom's handle. I dropped it to the ground and stalked off.

A second later Rose Weasley was standing in front of me.

"What is it now?" I snapped.

I tried to walk past her but she made it almost impossible to do so. What was wrong with her? She suddenly grinned and handed me the broom.

"Consider it? Look, take the broom. I don't need it anyway now."

"I don't care Rose! Why aren't you leaving me alone? You're not normal."

I spat the last word out. But her grin didn't waver.

"No I'm not! But then, normal's no fun is it? I'm actually trying here..."

Her shoulders slumped. Her face took on the same look I had gotten used to seeing at dinner time. We stood in silence for a while.

"I don't really want you to fly Scorpion." She said, her voice all weird.

"I don't want me to fly either." She gave a mirthless snort.

"But you aren't getting it, are you?"

"Getting what?"

"Those things you're missing out on! You've got all the time in the world. You can do anything. Fly above the peaks of the Himalayas, swim across the Pacific Ocean, brew the cure for death or something! The world's your oyster. But you're just wasting time away, thinking you're nothing special and just staying stuck in that rut of a life!"

"You," I said as slowly as I could muster, "are barking."

"Well that can't be helped."

The thing is, Rose Weasley is has and always will be the Weasley who is just beyond the grasp of human understanding.

"I'm not sure where you're going with this."

"Oh I'm going to hell of course." She muttered.

"What?"

She laughed a very normal, controlled laugh.

"I'm dyin' Scorpion, an' I can't do shit abou' it"


	8. Stars

**A note-I know this is rather short of me but I really wanted this sequence to be done well. It may seem like a filler chapter but I'm warning you, Scorpius is gonna undergo a lot of madness.**

 _"I'm dyin' Scorpion, an' I can't do shit abou' it."_

I stood transfixed as Rose threw her head back and laughed. Dying? I might've heard wrong. Her speech did slur a bit. She suddenly sobered, her expression apparently serious.

"I had something more important to tell you didn't I?"

I raised my eyebrows to convey my disbelief. She laughed again, but this time she didn't stop. She was practically howling with mirth as she bumped into me. It was then when I saw what was going on.

Having spent two-fifths of my third year in the infirmary, I'd gotten quite used to the sickly-sweet smell of pain numbing potions (again, it was all Al's fault). Rose's seemed to reek of them. _How much had she taken?_

"Rose, how many numbers in a dozen?" I shot out, knowing that this would work.

Being the clever-clogs she was the answer was there on her lips before I finished the question.

"Twelve,"

"Spell to open doors?"

"Alohamora,"

"Black or white?"

"Grey,"

"How many extra doses of pain numbing potion have you taken?"

" _Five_ ," She clapped her hand over her mouth, but it was of no use.

"Are you _really_ dying?" I asked this time.

"Yeah, I am."

I opened my mouth, but no words came to mind, so I it shut it again. I was standing on the Quidditch Pitch with an overdosed-on-pain-numbers Rose and a broom. And she was dying, which was of course no big deal. People die all the time don't they?

It explained quite a bit though.

Dying put quite a depressing turn to it.

"It's a genetic thing," it took me a second to realise that Rose was talking again, " It's me magic that's hurting my body. They call it ' **Omnimagicae mactabilis'**. It's what happens with squibs, it stops their magic. But it mutated, cause I did magic anyway and I was given my expiry date."

Rose pointedly stared at me.

"I'm listening," I said quickly.

"Yeah well you do that well..."

I stayed mum and let Rose's words wash over me. She was dying and for the first time I saw her side of things. She was still crazy but that was a constant. She talked for god knows how long, about dying, St. Mungo's, her brother Hugo, staying high on painkillers because it helped and other trivial things.

She finally stopped and slumped down on the grass.

"D'you wanna go back?" I asked, focusing my very grey eyes on her very blue ones.

She shook her head. I don't know why I said what I said next but I did.

"If you want to say- talk to anybody, you can talk all over me- I'll listen."

Rose laughed and waved her hand saying that she'll consider it. She patted at the spot next to her on the ground gesturing me to sit down next to her. I did. She gestured up to the sky.

"Stars must be such sad things. Great civilisations crumbled to dust in front of them and they just sat and twinkled at everyone. Feeling like great, big useless ... _balls_ of gas..."

"They must be." I said incredulously.

"Well they can't hear us can they? So we can say what-ever we want want to them."

That resulted in us (mainly Rose) yelling obscenities at the sky. The stench of the pain-numbing potion was still making my nose tingle but I ignored it. This was surprisingly _fun!_

"Screw you! You know why stars stink Scorpius? It's cause they're full of nothing but Gas! And gas is bad, it stinks and hence stars stink!"

I would've laughed had I not sensed the fact that someone was standing right behind us. Dominique Weasley.

"What, in Merlin's name are you doing here? Weasley, _Malfoy_?" She peered down at us from her makeup-coated eyes.

"'T'was my fault 'Nique, don't beat Scorpion on it. _Please_?" Rose was on her feet, glaring down at her cousin.

"Well I will if somebody here decides to go back to their dorms."

"Fi-ine!" And Rose was gone.

"Dominique I can explain-"

"Your rounds are tomorrow, you'll report at the Great Hall at eight with Miss Nott. Am I clear? Am. I. Clear?"

I gulped and nodded and she dismissed with a look. I stared up at the sky. Stars were funny things weren't they?

 **Another note- Omnimagicae mactabilis is derived from Latin. The rough translation is 'Magic kills all' it is a constructed name and hence doesn't occur in real life. I know that the conjugation and use of Latin is extremely wrong and I apologise. This fic will not be all angst from now on if you're wondering...**


	9. Detention

**A note- Hello! I really need a beta because my writing is starting to channel my tiredness and I'm pretty sure that's not a good thing. I did tell you that the story will not be entirely angsty. Yes that stuff will come later but not just yet. Also, please don't put Annika in a bad light because she isn't a villain. Nobody's a villain. I don't own much.**

The week flew by in a tizzy.

Al and Cas had another fight- a major one this time.

 _"I hate you!"_

 _"The feeling's mutual!"_

I have no clue what it was about but I _did_ see Cas carefully place a tripping hex just before Alice Longbottom came by the corner. The fifth year was a big one so a lot of my time was spent in library. The best way to escape the apparent Cold War I'd say.

The first thing today was potions.

We had to brew the draught of peace today. How sanctimonious was that? I'd brought all of ingredients today and ensured their safety by making the containers, break-proof.

"'Lo,"

Rose Weasley was setting her ingredients down next to mine. Her bushy red hair was obstructing my view.

The furitive whispering began again.

 _What was Rose doing sitting with a Slytherin, that too a Malfoy? Fraternising with the enemy? Becoming a neo-death eater? Learning the secret behind his amazing hair?_

Alright I made the last one up but it was something similar to that. A chubby girl with her hair in pigtails frantically hissed at Rose.

It wasn't the first time this had happened and it certainly wouldn't be the last. But there was something that took me off guard. I heard the words from my housemates. They were no better.

I've been through this a million times. The name calling and all the other pleasantries that come with your father having been a part of the army of Voldemort. Father still refused to call him that, said it brought up too much of the bad up.

Al was looking straight yet the blackboard. His eyes were set in the look that I'd like to call the ' _nothing hurts Albus Severus Potter_ ' look. Cas was giving me a look drenched with sympathy.

I turned to Rose who was humming the old classic ' ** _Do the Hippogriff_** '. She raised an eyebrow as though saying- _"what can we do about it?"_

Slughorn arrived, patting a few people on their backs and looking morbidly enthused as usual. Like that was anything new.

"... The students who brew the potion perfectly will get a-"

 _"Detention,"_ came Rose's whisper.

" _What_?" I mouthed.

' _ **We,**_ ' she mimed, ' _ **are going to make Slughorn blow his**_ "what" ** _off?_** '

' _ **What are you saying?'**_

 _ **'We're going to land ourselves in detention.'**_

That sounded oh-so-Gryffindor but why not?

I mouthed an "okay" and Rose grinned. What was I getting myself into?

Annika was staring at me, an unrecognisable expression on her face. I winked at her and have a small smile, hoping that she'd smile back. She did.

I only half heard Slughorn telling us to start the potion. Annika Morris was still smiling, checking her (rather _stunning_ ) reflection in the mirror as she did. I wonder why I had never noticed her before. Her olive skin and sleek black hair and the way she she'd narrow her eyes as she'd concentrate-

My thought was cut off as a blow came to my arm. Rose Weasley was hitting me with her wooden spoon. Why was it always her?

"I have a huge bucket list Scorpion and if you don't help me then I'll get the detention on my own!" It was the first time she'd mentioned dying since the night at the Quidditch pitch.

"Alright- what exactly -will bag us the detention?"

Rose fished out a small pack of brown, bead-like seeds which seemed to glow. Fireseeds, add a few in water and _boom_! Was she planning on destroying the classroom?

I asked her that. She laughed, shaking her head.

"They make a bang if you chuck 'em on the floor hard. A bit like crackers but less smoke and fire." I was about to say something when Rose handed me a couple of fireseeds. They were painfully hot to hold.

"At three," Rose counted the numbers down as she fished out a few seeds in her own hand.

Sure enough, there was a loud cracking sound. Al yelped and pulled on Flint's arm who was too busy covering his head. There were a few screams, exclamations of 'are you mad?' And the usual fair. Annika looked quite unperturbed -if not amused- by the scene.

Slughorn was standing in the middle of this mess looking like a featherless parakeet.

"Who did this?" He asked.

"It was _us_ professor!" Rose chirruped brightly.

Slughorn frowned for a moment and shook his head.

"I'll ask you to be more careful in the future, Miss Weasley and Mister Malfoy."

With that the class reverted back to normal. Rose pouted. Of course Gryffindor shave no tact whatsoever. I'd has my share of wriggling out of detentions, let's see if I can wriggle _into_ one.

"But _professor_ , won't we get a detention for this?" I enquired, forcing the right amount of fear into my voice.

"Yeah, professor!" Rose caught on quickly.

Creevey snorted loudly, muttering something about 'goody two shoes'...

"People make mistakes my dear, no one is perfect." Slughorn said sagely.

This time Rose took the lead. What happened next was unexpectedly glorious.

"But professor we did it on purpose! We wasn't making mistakes but is a mistake a mistake if it ain't mistake? Ooh that is tough to repeat. I say you should try saying it five times fast. _Is a mistake a mistake if it ain't a mista_ -"

"Miss-"

"No let us finish! I bet Freddie a galleon and five knuts that I'll get a detention today and boy he's a sore loser- _you ought to close your mouth professor it looks mad_ \- I was saying?

"Oh, yeah I smuggled fireseeds from Hagrid at the nick of dawn and don't I deserve a detention. We deserve a detention! I know, I know we're your favourites and Malfoy here is a good little prefect- aren't you Scorpion?"

"Yeah," I squeaked.

"But he worked for a detention too! I say we go and do the detention on our own shall we? We'll just pop into Filch's office and help set Mrs. Norris on fire. I _hate_ that cat!"

She moved a step forward, trying to tell everyone that she actually _meant_ it. The class was in hysterics. Goyle was laughing that weird laugh and even Abbie was grinning, showing off her mossy teeth, Al and Flint were pounding down on the table. The Gryffindors were practically roaring with laughter.

"Come along, Malfoy!"

This time professor Slughorn opened his mouth and closed it again. Then finally he spoke, sounding not as offended as we'd hoped.

" _Oh-o!_ _Oh-o!_ I'm impressed miss Weasley- I always love a sense of humour!" Rose looked crestfallen but Slughorn continued, "However fireseeds are a grade C banned substance so I'm afraid I'll have to put the both of you in detention."

I gave a small whoop, which drew all eyes to me. Then Rose gave me a triumphant look.

The class ended and Rose was home before I could say another word. However I was cornered by Annika.

"You and your girlfriend were great back there!" She forced a smile.

"She's not my _girlfriend_!" I said a bit too loudly.

"Oh," colour flooded to her cheeks, and was she looking relieved.

"Oh," said and she reluctantly smiled- a real one this time.

"Yeah, I'll see you around?" She picked her bag up and walked out.

"Yeah," I breathed.

Cas immediately gave me a large thumbs up. I felt my cheeks smart.

" _What?_ "

She gave me a cheshire grin and shook her head. I have _no_ idea why she did that.


	10. Breathe

**A Note- Yay! I updated! *Hands self a medal*. I am now free to write and have written a bit. Reviews would be lovely. Also I have written a side fic called Cerulean which is in relation with this chapter. And I don't intend to make Scorpius narrate every single thing in his life-he's not a really interesting person. I just pick and choose the important bits of his monologue. I don't own much.**

I quickly walked past the horde of giggling third years. And that was when it hit me.

Trust me, being hit by a stinging hex is never any more fun than the last time. It feels like a paper cut, only like that paper cut is half a metre long and along the length of your calf.

I dunno why I even came here. _Oh yeah_ , Rose asked me to wait here. I have no idea about it other than that. She said it was something she wanted to ask. But honestly? I'm pretty sure someone has it bad for me.

I remained silent as the spell hit me, because crying out meant showing that I was being affected by them. I wasn't as brave as most people but I certainly didn't want my attacker to think that they had the upper hand. I wish I had Albus with me, he's bloody top in defence against the dark arts. But then again _I'm_ not half bad either.

However the pain was affecting my ability to think clearly. I winced as I reached for my wand. The attacker was right behind me.

" _Expelliarmus!_ " I cried, turning around.

It was a red faced fourth year whose name I didn't even know.

"I'll make sure Professor Longbottom gets to hear of this!" I cried, pocketing his wand.

"Give me my wand back!"

"You'll get your wand from your head of house." I managed as I muttered the counter curse at my leg.

The idiot however, had other plans. He decided to lunge after his godforsaken wand, effectively shoving me on the floor. _Ruddy Gryffindors._

"Oi! Bertie let him go!" Rang the voice of my _very_ bushy haired saviour.

Rose Weasley was walking towards us half in conversation with her kid brother Hugo. Hugo was a cool kid, if not a bit slow. Slow, but smart. He looked a lot like his sister, tall and lanky with freckles all over with curly brown hair. A much nicer version of Rose to be frank.

The fourth year 'Bertie' however cowered away from me, trying to get away from the scene. Rose however stopped him by grabbing his wrist and twisting it into what I'd like to call- ' _ouch-that-must've-hurt-like-hell_ ' position.

"Bertie! I hear about a single thing like this consider your arm broken." The boy mutely nodded as Rose gave his wrist another half turn and then let him go.

" _Bloody hell,_ that was great Rosie!" Cried Hugo appreciatively.

Rose shrugged and told Hugo to run along. Was that a quill in her hair?

"You've got a-"

" _Quill in my hair_? Oh, thank Merlin I thought I'd lost it!" She reached up to feel the feather, her hand moving jerkily.

I tapped my left foot impatiently as a few people stopped to stare at me. _Yes, my hair is fabulous_ , now move along! Rose was looking for something in her ridiculously loose school robe pocket. Was I really so handsome that a gaggle of gangly Gryffindor second years had accumulated around me? I gave them a glare which made them look the other way.

"Ink... Gurdyroot essence... Biscuits... Newt... Socks... A-HA!"

She took out a roll of parchment that suspiciously looked like-

"That's _private_!" I tried to snatch the paper but Rose lifted her arm out of my reach.

I was sure I'd kept in my bag, and that thing has a locking charm on it. I groaned. I took my wand out and simply accioed it. There you go.

"I like the hypothesis you're working on. The fourth contradiction of Ascot's law." I froze. Rose had read that rubbish I'd spouted?

"Yeah and it's private!"

"It's brilliant!"

"You don't even take Arithmancy!"

"Why are we _yelling_?" Her voice dropped to a loud dramatic whisper as she slowly leaned forward.

"Because you're not my mum!" I snapped, taking the opportunity to snatch the parchment, catching a sickly sweet whiff of pain numbers.

"But I can get you on the line with Ascot."

"So can Slughorn. Are you _high_ , Weasley?"

Rose waved her hand about breezily. When was she not high? Her eyes were wide, dilated, her hair were a disaster and she seemed to wobble about on the balls on her feet. A wreck in all senses.

"Why are you doing this? Getting yourself smashed and messing with me like that!" That might've been a bit too far but it got the point across. Or so I thought.

She sniffed and walked away. I breathed a sigh of relief. I stared down at my hand to find a completely different piece of parchment in my hand fro what I'd expected.

 **'Library- after dinner**

 **R. Weasley'**

I growled and ran a hand through my hair. She would be the death of me.

And so I came to the library after dinner. It's nice here, the entire house of Ravenclaw holed up in one place with your occasional side of Hufflepuff and Gryffindor.

Our house is rarely found here. We borrow library books, not spend years sitting between these dusty shelves. It's also a great hiding place when you have to avoid fellow Slytherins. I remember in my second year, hearing that captain of of Slytherin team had taken refuge here after spectacularly losing to Hufflepuff. Which is _exactly_ why I had decided to come here regularly.

With all the cat-fights going on, I'd rather exile myself to seeing Madam Pince's knickers than subject myself to such torture.

Today however, I was dreading it. Rose Weasley had invited me to the library and seeing that she has my calculations, I wouldn't risk not going.

Soon I found Rose smack in the middle of the arithmancy section. Something was different.

She looked more composed, her hair forced into a braid and her robes neat. She looked a lot more... _Human_.

"There you are!" Her voice was lower than usual, her face pulled into a grimace.

"Yeah," I said, gawking at her.

"Sit down," she was looking more normal than I'd ever seen her in my entire life.

"Give me my calculations." I said, trying brush off her oddly focused gaze.

"That hypothesis of yours," she winced almost tas if she'd been stabbed, "that hypothesis is bloody brilliant and you know it."

I didn't reply.

"I can get you on the line with Ascot. You can be _huge_!"

"It's a rubbish idea."

"Bea says that you're top in arithmancy." I felt my cheeks grow hot.

"She said that?"

"Yeah she did."

" _Oh_ ,"

"Look," she winced again, "I'm just saying that you have a lot of potential here. And I wanna help. If you need anything- just tell me - _ah_ \- right?"

The wincing turned to twitching. Every few seconds a side of her face seemed to twitch.

"A-accio!" She summoned my parchment.

"I just t-th-think that I can he-help."

"Fine whatever," I said quickly as she twitched more and more violently, "you don't look well."

Rose frowned, taking a sharp inhale.

"Di-didn't use t-the pain n-numbing po-potion. W-w-wanted to ta-alk t-to you s-sober. W-e ha-hav-ve a de-DEAL right?"

She gasped for breath as she took out a small vial containing blue dry pills and chugged them down. The twitch lessened. Rose slumped back in her chair, her lips blue and eyes shut.

Then she giggled.

"'Lo!" She said, her voice light and airy, "So very sorry the pain was getting too much. I don't know about you but I feel stuffy!" She tried to stand but buckled back down, panting from the effort. I quickly stood up and went up to her chair.

"Bad- bad idea. Why're you standing over me Scorpion?" I lowered myself down to her level.

"You need to go to the hospital wing Rose."

"Nah I'll be fine."

"Madam Pomfrey-"

" _Can go fuck herself for all I care!_ " She said, her voice suddenly rising in volume.

"I'm gonna get help."

A millisecond later I was enveloped in a hug. Rose Weasley was hugging me like her life depended on it. Her breathing was shallow and erratic, as though she couldn't properly draw air in. I slowly hugged her back, feeling her ribs through her robes. She felt far too fragile.

It felt weird as I hugged her, her tall frame had a strange porcelain-like quality. My nose was filled with the scent of biscuit and the stench of the pain numbing potion.

"I'm trying," she sighed, her breath tingling my ear, " I just can't give up."

I suddenly realised how oddly intimate it was. But I couldn't let go, partly because I felt her breathing ease and partly because Rose was a _great_ hugger.

" _Don't worry_ ," I mumbled.


	11. Gossip

**A Note- I'm sorry it took me so long to update but here you go! I don't own much.**

"So Al and Alice _broke up_!"

This exclamation followed many theatrical gasps from the gaggle of girls that were perpetually at the door of the common room- I mean _seriously_ , get in or get out.

Having spent the majority of the fast half a month outside the dungeons, these doorway harpies were the only thing that kept me up to date in the Slytherin Elite.

The Slytherin Elite is a special group, consisting of a select few people. There are a lot of things that one needs to have to get in.

Famous parents (not that hard a task, that), average to above average grades (but we can't have a _bookworm_ now, can we?), a decent face and the ability to navigate to the top.

I, Scorpius Malfoy am going to give you a crash course on how to manoeuvre through the Slytherin hierarchy.

Now you already know the gossiping harpies. I walk in to the common room, a sinister place to be during daytime. However it's evening and right now, the official hub of Hogwarts gossip has shifted to us. The morining belongs to Hufflepuffs, the afternoons to Gryffindor and the nighttime is Ravenclaw territory when it comes to the grapevine..

 _Silas Wood went wild with Winnie Todd? Loopy Anne was caught with her supply of Happy? Cassia Shorett turned down Gryffindor Finnegan? Al and Alice_ **broke up** _?_ Do tell more.

The whole room was abuzz with exclamations of-

 _"They were so perfect together!"_

And alternately,

 _"Hands off Albus Potter is mine bitch!"_

And a very curious observation made by Effie Zabini,

 _"Heartbroken Quidditch players are more likely to win. I'm betting you that we'll bag the trophy this year!"_

The best and the worst thing about gossip is that it erases boundaries. First years hanging out with seventh years, Gryffindors giggling with Slytherins and the Hufflepuffs' with their passing around the table game is a must. Ravenclaws, well I will suggest you to not go near the library after dinner unless you damn well know how to avoid them. Weird, scary rituals.

And did I say that crude gossip has no gender? Well...

 _"Alice was a slut, Al was right to leave her."_ Mutters Flint, staring at his chewed off fingernails.

Not to mention-

 _"Look, Alice is a nice girl, Al should know how to keep it in his pants..."_ Says Tobias, a yellow-faced fourth year.

And of course me, I'm above it all-

"So dibs on who'll hookup with a different person first?" I yell, raising one arm to see a small crowd gather.

Now there's no harm in placing bets is there? **Javier and Rick's law of probability in mob circumstances*** says that I'll make money anyway. Two people at a time will approach me, half thinking of the fight and half of the money, having picked their sides. They don't realise that no matter what, I'll be keeping ten percent of their keep anyway. They'll be too busy having a fight of their own.

"I put in money for Alice!"

"Two galleons,"

"Albus!"

"Two galleons,"

And so it went on. Soon all the third and fourth years had lighter pockets. The younger ones fall for it first. Annika was one of the first to place bets. I am _pretty_ certain she likes me back now.

"I say Al," says Tobias, handing in his two gold.

"Alice," Abbie Nott makes her contribution.

"And I say _none_ ," comes a cold voice.

Oh Merlin, I almost made it to a hundred.

"Al," I said, grinning.

Al on the other hand seemed to look quite green. Or maybe that was just the general light reflecting from the room. Then he grins too.

"I see you've made money over my dead body."

"Yeah," I say, scratching the back of my head, " Javier and Rick's you know, once in a lifetime opportunity. How are you?"

Al tilts his head.

"Oh I dunno, single? _Heart get broken but the show goes on?_ "

I go back to making bets. _What?_ We're Slytherins, ambition and cunning above everything else.

"Two galleons! The poll is closing up!" I call.

At dinner, I am flanked by Cas on one side and Rose on the other.

However this a time it's Cassia who makes me wanna throw the jug of pumpkin juice on her head. And she's blocking my view. If discretely ogling Annika Morris was a profession, I'd be rolling by now. Now only if Cas could move a leetle to the left...

"Ooh, you should've seen her face Scor!" She cackles delightedly.

"I did," piped up Rose, laying some mashed peas on her plate, " she looks terrible Cas."

"I know right!" Cas giggles. Evil, just plain evil.

True to Rose's word, Alice did look terrible. Her makeup was all running down her face, her hair coming out of it's usually sleek ponytail and her usually cheery round face frowning. Her eyes were red and puffy. Professor Longbottom was shooting concerned looks towards said student.

I scowled and dug into my food. Cassia was happily crowing on and on about how much she hated Alice. What I'd give for some silence.

My plate was soon empty. Cas had just left the scene, leaving me with Rose.

Rose hummed, her plate of food half empty. She had that same sad, self pitying expression on her face. Now that I knew why she did it, I couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for her.

"You don't seem to be hungry."

"Stop the pity party," she mumbled almost incoherently, her head down on the table.

I stared off into space. She was dying, she was high and still in moderate amounts of pain. Pain, how do you help someone in pain? Simple- distract them.

"Hey, d'you know that the hypothesis I'm working on..." I paused hoping so to see some signs of interest.

Rose looked up.

"Yeah well I've realised that if I take the coefficients of a particular set of variables of say a-a cat and a panther's co-magical relativity or say a Jack Russel Terrier and a Crup..." I rattled off as slowly saw a smile appear on Rose's face.

I went on about the number of factors that this could change if my loophole was applied in daily life. Then I paused to take a swig of my glass of pumpkin juice.

"You'd be a great professor Scorpion."

"Ack! Really?" I nearly choked.

Rose grinned and nodded.

 **Professor Malfoy.** It does have a nice ring to it innit?


	12. Happy Mother's Day

**A note- I personally think that this chapter was a bit bland but I wanted to have something to do with Mother's Day and so I decided on this... The next chapters will be better I promise. Also, would someone like to beta this?**

I'd almost forgotten about the detention we had on Saturday.

Dominique Weasley was going to supervise the detention and she couldn't look more enraged. Her pretty face looked a lot more like a harpy than anything else as I walked into the empty potions dungeon. She knew that laying her charm on me wouldn't get her anywhere. Mostly because she only half-acknowledged my existence.

We had to clean the work stations with a foul milky white concoction that made my nose pink.

Rose was surprisingly there before me. She looked composed and calm- exactly like she had been at the library. Her outstretched arm held an extra pair of dragon gloves. Her face was surprisingly devoid of emotion, making her look a lot more intimidating than usual.

"Take the glove and get to work Malfoy!" Snapped the voice of Dominique Weasley.

I obliged and set to work. The work stations were filthy yet the white liquid seemed to make it easier. From the corner of my eye I saw Rose working much more aggressively, having completely cleaned the top of her bench.

It was as if she was a whole different person. Different posture, different manner of speaking, different in everything but the fact that they were the same. She looked a bit uncomfortable as she worked, and I guess she must be in pain.

All I could hear was the squeaky wiping sounds as we cleaned the tables. Rose was unusually quiet.

I got back to cleaning the table. Dominique was examining her nails, occasionally shooting glances at the pair of us. I didn't look at her after that, focusing on cleaning the tables instead.

Annika suddenly came to my mind for no particular reason. Her disappointed face when she'd see me scrubbing away the tables. Or maybe she wouldn't even care, maybe she like it- me getting what I deserve. A part of me thought that she liked our little stunt in Potions. But Slytherins didn't function like that. We had to reach to the top and getting a detention was not the way to get there.

"She's gone!" Rose Weasley had a knack of interrupting my most pleasant thoughts.

The elder Weasley had indeed gone off somewhere.

"Yes," I said slowly as I finished the cleaning the second work station, "she isn't here."

Rose grimaced. Was she in pain again? Because that'd be awful.

"She must've gone to flirt with Morris! I told her that she fancies you but-"

"Dominique Weasley is into girls?" Were the first words that came to my mouth.

Rose rolled her eyes exasperatedly. I raised an eyebrow. That explained her never having a boyfriend. Wait. She'd said something about Annika fancying me!

"What did you say?" I squeaked.

"That 'Nique has no chance-"

"Not that, what you said after that!"

Rose paused, a crease appearing in her brow. And then she glared at me. I never realised how scary she could be when she wasn't falling all over the place.

"That just slipped out! I shouldn't have said it- promise me you'll never tell a soul- I don't want her to feel embarrassed- I mean yeah you're kinda pretty-just an observation but yeah you are so just forget it yeah?"

"What!?"

"Oh never mind." She muttered and returned to attacking a piece of gum under a table.

My mind seemed to go on a very appealing tangent right now. Annika and I kissing. Annika and I kissing on this very table that I was cleaning. Slowly opening the buttons of her shirt-

I'll stop narrating for a moment here and pretend that didn't have to intentionally duck under a table to hide myself from Rose. What I will say is that at that very moment Minerva McGonagall walked into this room. As a cat.

A tabby cat with spectacle markings sneaked behind Rose which caused her to turn around and pet the her. The cat-professor looked almost outraged at her-if a cat could look outraged and morphed into the tight-lipped headmistress we all know and (a few) love.

"I'll ask you to refrain from stroking me Miss Weasley."

"You said stroke," snorted she, eyes sparkling with mischief.

"That I did, Rose, now your mother is outside this classroom, I think she might want to see you."

I slowly retracted myself from the uncomfortable position beneath the table and stood up. Not that I wasn't uncomfortable without it. Why am I explaining myself again?

"Rosie?"

Hermione Granger-Weasley needs no introduction. Popularly known as one of the brightest minds of her generation and Rose's mum. Rose ran out towards the door, her rag thrown to a corner.

I quietly followed her and professor McGonagall to the empty hallway. I looked out from the doorway as Rose enveloped her mum into a tight hug, squealing like two-year old.

I suddenly felt a pang of guilt. I'd barely sent one letter to mum since I came here. Hogwarts really made me forget about these things. I ought to write mum more often.

"Rosie let me go!" Laughed Mrs. Weasley as Rose showed no signs of letting her go.

Rose awkwardly hunched to face her mother. Mrs. Weasley quickly brushed off a flyaway strand on her daughter's face. Rose groaned impatiently as her mum straightened her collar and gave her tie a tug.

"What're you doing here mummy?"

"Oh I don't know Rosie," Mrs. Weasley said teasingly, sounding uncannily like Al, " I just came to check in on Hugo and then I had spare time so-"She started tickling Rose, who wriggled out of her grip, giggling like a five year old.

By now I'd started boiling with guilt on hardly writing my parents. I mean yeah not all families were as tight knit as the Weasley's but somehow the idea that my mum was almost always alone at home (father had to go to some business meeting or ministry working) expecting a letter from me. I'm a terrible son.

"Oh Scorpius dear I didn't see you there! How is Astoria, I haven't heard from her in ages!"

"Yeah, mum is fine Mrs. Weasley." I said feeling awful that I didn't know this for sure.

"Lovely, now since Rose will only lie her way out of god I want to know what exactly got the both of you into detention!"

"Mu-um!" Groaned Rose.

"Well I didn't hear anything about a detention in your letter missy. Scorpius dear, continue."

Rose was behind her mother frantically mouthing 'Potions accident'. Mrs. Weasley was looking at me expectantly. She deliberately earned the detention, it would be only unfair...

"We set off some fireseeds..."


	13. Polah-royd

**A Note- I am so sorry for not updating this story sooner! Orlando happened, academia happened, a slight dash of writers block happened and I hope to further edit this story. Btw, I don't care if Scorpius doesn't sound 'manly' or 'masculine'. In their timeline, it's 2022. Gender roles are a thing studied in History books.**

"Writing _love letters_ are we?" Twittered Cassia Shorett.

She was holding the piece of parchment just out of my reach.

"I'm writing to my mother, Shorett. Perhaps you'd like to try it sometime?"

And that was a low blow from yours truly, seeing that Cas turned redder than a beet and set fire to my parchment. Her parents were separated and I bloody well knew that. She was annoyingly sweet before Al and Alice broke up. However, now she was unbearable.

 _What?_ She was interrupting me a lot more than usual and not the same girl I became best friends with. It could've had something to do with her family, now that I come to think of it. I'll apologise to her at dinner.

She'll find someone to appease her constant thirst for attention somewhere. She always does, but it's never enough for her. I soon heard her false high laugh from one of the tables of the common room. Cas was draped on the table, flirting with a seventh year.

The first Hogsmeade weekend was coming up and I was in need of a break.

Rounds, flyers, notifications, first years, more rounds, Halloween, Hogsmeade, Quidditch, charms club, Slughorn, slug club, Abbie Nott, Abbie Nott's teeth, more rounds, Dominique being a bitch, OWLs and career choices. A break sounds great.

I wish I was a Hufflepuff, they're far more resilient than I will ever deign to be. Now what was I doing? Oh yeah, a letter to mum. The previous draft was now a tiny pile of warm ash.

Here goes nothing-

 **Dear Mum,**

 **I completely forgot to send a letter about how I'm doing. Being a prefect is a tedious job like you told me it would be. Albus is the captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team and he sends a hello. I miss home and I wish you and father a very happy Halloween.**

 **PS- Are you going with father to the trip to Romania? Or should I call in for the holidays. I don't think I'll be there for Christmas so please don't tire yourself.**

 **Love,**

 **Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy**

Pretty decent considering that I hadn't written to her since second year. It was usually a note saying "Merry Christmas!" Or "Forgot potions book. Please send."

Not everyone is two point five white picket fence.

So I went up to owl my letter only to bump into Annika. And yes, it was a surprise.

"Hogsmeade!" I exclaimed breathlessly.

"What?"

I felt my face heat up as I promptly dropped the letter in my hand. Great going Malfoy.

"I uh, just its that Hogsmeade is coming up and I was hoping that you'd like to I dunno, go out with me?

"Look, maybe I read us- _this_ completely wrong. We don't really talk much and I..." I trailed off, deciding to rather hear her out first.

Annika blushed, looking down at her nails as I patiently waited for an answer. I half expected her to laugh and wave me off. Merlin, it feels like I asked the question ages ago. Not that I didn't like seeing her face all pink and flustered. But maybe in a more positive situation?

She blurted out something that sounded suspiciously like a yes, but my ears didn't register much because she was smiling and leaning forward and I never really realised that her eyes have green specks and-

It was barely more than a peck, but a bit less than a proper kiss. Annika was gone with a promise of meeting up at the Three Broomsticks. _Merlin's fucking pants._

I spent the next few seconds cataloging the feeling of her lips on mine and the scent that she wore and well, forgot about posting that letter entirely. Nothing could get my spirits down.

Annika no I seemed to be taking turns at staring at the other, ducking and blushing across tables. My face seems to have attained a permanent scarlet tinge. I felt oddly anxious.

 _What now?_ A part of me kept chanting the question but I don't think I ever heard it.

The Hogsmeade weekend was the Saturday after this and I felt myself mentally leafing through the places we'd go to. The shrieking shack was a great place to be alone, Honeydukes- I could get her some, some- what did she like anyway? I bet you anything she's a chocolate frog lover.

So I apologised to Cas and carefully avoided the mention of a certain green eyed, raven haired Potter. Said Slytherin was currently flirting with a fourth year I didn't know of.

Dinner meant another meal with Rose Weasley snarfing down her food right next to my plate. Today however, her plate was barely touched.

 **Ca-click!**

A bright white flash and a tiny puff of blue smoke went off near my face. It was the latest prototype from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, known as a _Polah-royd_. Basically, it could click and develop moving pictures on the go. Rose had been practically hopping around the great hall taking photographs of everything in sight. The _Polah-royd_ was the next big thing. I'm betting you that the entire school will own one the second it's released.

The _Polah-royd_ had arrived yesterday afternoon to a sullen Rose's lap. She apparently had a latent passion for photography. I must say, she _is_ rather good at it.

It had been the first day in weeks that the population of Hogwarts had seen Rose Weasley not-so-completely out of it. Her sobriety was due to her hitting the maximum count of pain numbers in a month, leaving her with a "dull buzz".

A slight whirring noise emanated from the odd looking camera as a tiny black paper came out. The square slowly turned into a rather breathtaking photograph of me staring at Annika. I hadn't even realised that I was looking at her. How obvious _am_ I? Better not answer that.

For the first time in my life I didn't look like a washed out lobster. Photograph-Annika smiled and beamed around as the photograph-me slowly turned to look at me, and then went on to stare at the object of his interest. The rest of the great hall seemed to be slightly out of focus.

The photographer grinned and handed the photo to me.

"To your lady love!" She cried. I dunno how she even knew that. The Gryffindor grapevine must be faster than ours.

Am I blushing? Not the most gentlemanly thing to do, that. I quickly pocketed the photo- but not nearly quick enough for Cas to not notice. She'd leaned forward from her perch near Goyle and admired the photo.

"That- the- photo- it was... _Good_." I stumbled over my words as Rose took a mock bow and returned to taking photographs.

 **Ca-click!**

I resumed eating my ham and mashed peas.

"Hm, _ha_!"

A photograph of a Ravenclaw second year animatedly picking his nose came into my focus. I almost choked on my orange juice.

As I was about to leave dinner, Rose handed me one last photo. It read-

 **For professor Malfoy.**

The photo was of me buried in Arthimancy texts, ink on my clothes and hair as I furiously scribbled a comment down. There was a tiny time stamp indicating that it had been taken last evening. I looked like I really needed a good night's sleep.

I smiled.


	14. The first half

**A note- And here we are, just before the scene that inspired the whole story. It's a short, filler chapter but it's needed. I'm sorry about being so late with the updates but since I've started this story, Paris was attacked, Orlando happened, more attacks and my precious hometown Nice was attacked. I sound very bitter and I am and bitterness, it makes your brain atrophy. I don't own much.**

The Hogsmeade weekend was an eventful one. Eventful enough to be divided into two parts in my head- pre and post hell.

The first half was so unbelievably good that I think I'll refer to myself in the third person.

Scorpius Malfoy woke up with a large grin on his face. Scorpius Malfoy got dressed in his best robes and went down to the common room, pockets jangling with money from a bet a couple of weeks back. Scorpius Malfoy met up with his girlfriend Annika Morris- who was dressed to the nines- with the large grin still in place.

They went up to the gates together, hand in hand stealing pecks here and there. The ground was wet with sleet from the night before and thus caused Annika to slip rather spectacularly into Scorpius' arms- the lucky bastard. Blushing ensued.

I know how stupid I sound- but I still can't believe that it was me.

I think it was another Scorpius Malfoy- similar in behaviour, looks and everything else. A doppelgänger who'd swooped in and replaced me for a few glorious hours.

So Scorpius and Annika went up into an empty carriage and all but snogged till the carriage stopped at Hogsmeade. Thankfully they managed to keep their hands to themselves till they reached a secluded booth in Hogsmeade.

Now here comes the shitty part where I skippity skip to a fairly boring scene, because it's more subtle that way. Dramatic effect- it's won a lot of awards- it ain't broke- _if you know what I mean_.

So they went into Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Unlike its original, bigger branch in Diagon Alley- this one had an exclusive section for the wonderwitch products. The love potions had been all but sold out. Annika got Scorpius a fizzing green hat that kept saying random stuff like- " _I fell in a cauldron full of hot strong strong love!_ " And " _I'm a Welsh warlock wandering in search of company..._ "

I liked that hat.

Annika and Scorpius in short, had the most perfect date of their lives. It had started drizzling and so they huddled close into the carriage, kissing and giggling. Nothing could go wrong now, could it?

I suppose you've had enough of that. Well then everything turned back to reality. (After I'd kissed Annika good night and received a nudge in the ribs by Al of course.)

Lily Potter has always been a curiously quiet one. She could weave in and out of crowds and no one would pay her a second glance. I was in the library reviewing some of the earlier texts about **Javier and Rick's law** for my hypothesis (I couldn't let my giddiness affect my work now!) when-

"Scorpius!" She squeaked as soon as she came into my view.

"Lily," I acknowledged her.

"I w-was just wondering if you could h-help me with Arithmancy. I mean I'm not very good and Rose told me that you're the best person I could ask for help from." She rushed through the last sentence, her cheeks smarting.

She is diminutive in size, speaks even less and her hair is red (no surprise there) and pulled in a severe ponytail. Despite belonging to the same brood, she is not much like her loud, large and abrasive cousins. She also has an obsession with drawing, seeing that she drew me a rather awful portrait the summer of the first year I'd come to stay over at the Potters' but that's Lily to you.

"Sure," I said, waving my hand to placate her, " I'll be happy to clear the doubts."

" I m-mean if you'd like to. I haven't learned a thing! Thank you!"

She smiled hesitantly and practically ran from the library. I wouldn't go as far as to say good riddance but I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief as soon as the tiny girl was out of earshot.

Silence again for a few beats. One, two, three and-

A high pitched giggle rang out as Rose came towards my table holding a stack of books on ancient runes. She was in no way quiet. Her pockets jangled with Merlin knows what, her feet were large and her voice _carried_. Charming to meet you too Rose.

"Isn't Lily _adorable_?" She said as she opened a large indecipherable book from the top of the pile.

Adorable was far from the word that came to mind. I gave a noncommittal hum for an answer. If a blind fancy could be called sweet...

"You shouldn't mind her little fancy over you, the fact that she's talking to you means that it's almost over. Or that's what Bea told me. I'd kill her if she's wrong!"

Right, back to work.

Early editions of the law contained some evidence that could suggest a fourth loophole. Studies on forbidden animals like unicorns and thestrals match the calculations I made and the graph was plotted in the a different scale. I'll bet that if I tweaked the scale for animals, I'd probably get the same result. But where to start? Should I start it based on the difficulty or the popularity? I could always work with no sense of order but that's completely out of the question. I need more data.

With a growl I forced open yet another book. Childish, childish, inaccurate, imprecise, useless, inaccurate _and_ imprecise. What a waste of a book! The next one then.

Oh. _Oh_. This was good, this was-

" **Scorpius!** "


	15. The remaining half

**A note- This chapter has oddly made me happy. I suppose it's because I've been waiting to write it for ages. It all adds up here. The story is far from over but one of the major parts is. I will be thoroughly editing things up before the next update. Everything I've written here is medically accurate to a degree. It's a bit rushed but I hope to fix that.**

" **Scorpius!** "

"What now!" I snapped, looking up at the very unwanted voice of Rose Weasley.

 _Holy fucking Merlin._

She was half collapsed on her chair, clutching her upper abdomen. Her eyes seemed unfocused and breathing alarmingly shallow. It looked like she was about to throw up.

She staggered up from her chair, swaying dangerously, I got up after her. It felt as if someone had put time on fast forward. A breathless pursuit of Rose Weasley stumbling in the library.

In the end, she didn't even make it as far as the entrance. She heaved and retched and made a blind fumble for support which happened to be my arm. The floor was, well, not good. It made me nauseous too, all that throwing up. It seemed to go on for forever, as if she'd eaten a puking pastille-

 _Blood_. Puking pastilles didn't make you vomit blood.

After that particular feat, Rose sagged against me, her skin alarmingly warm to touch. Madam Pince had arrived the to the place.

"Help!" I cried out, "Help me please she needs to go to Pomfrey!"

The kindly librarian nodded, moving her wand in a trice to clear up the mess and-

" _Expecto Patronum!_ " A large silvery kneazle came out of the end of her wand, glowing as radiating warmth. It felt nice and Rose could feel it too, I clinging her head away from me and towards the patronus.

Madam Pince nodded at the kneazle and the kneazle nodded back. And then it was gone, causing the panic to flood back. Rose threw up more blood, gasping for breath. The smell of vomit and blood assaulted my nostrils once again.

Rose's temperature seemed to drop after that particular round, making her freckled skin clammy to the touch. She could be going into shock. Something suddenly clicked. I opened my Hogwarts robe (being in a shirt and trousers won't be the death of me) and carefully wrapped it around her back. It didn't help much.

Rose shuddered violently.

"More?" I asked as Rose leaned towards me for extra warmth.

She shook her head.

"Up for walking?" My arms felt heavy, leaden and sore from balancing the tall girl.

She shook her head and I awkwardly knelt down at the floor, making sure that Rose's head was elevated. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but then comfort was not really on the forefront of my brain. It was better than standing.

 _Why_ was taking Madam Pomfrey so bloody long?

My thoughts turned pessimistic as I aggressively stroked my hand through Rose's auburn curls. She seemed to share the sentiment as her bleary blue eyes stared at me with some form of impatience in them. I'd have laughed but it didn't feel like something worth laughing over.

" _MISS WEASLEY!_ " I nearly collapsed with relief as Madam Pomfrey dashed along the library, a floating stretcher following her. I barely remember the next few minutes but then Rose was on the gurney and I was running after Pomfrey.

"Mister Malfoy please explain." Her voice was surprisingly steady.

"We were studying, Rose started throwing up; there was blood and her temperature seems to be swinging. Can I _please_ come along?" My voice cracked at the last sentence, but panic seemed to have left my body, instead replaced by a sense of calm.

Pomfrey nodded as her hands flew to check Rose's pulse. Her eyes widened.

"Yes, it's for the best if you come along. I'll be needing an extra wand here," We reached the hospital wing and the healer ran in with the stretcher following her, " You do know where everything is kept don't you dearie?"

"Yeah,"

"Blood replenisher, saline, pain numbers right now! And dear please make sure she doesn't pass out! _Sing to her_ if you want to but keep her lucid!"

I got all the supplies and passed them on to Madam Pomfrey as Rose was shifted on the to hospital bed. She nodded and asked for a few more potions.

Meanwhile, Rose started choking.

" _Anapneo_ ," I pointed my wand at her throat. It worked.

"Hold her down dear we need to get her heart rate steady! Keep her head elevated and throat clear!" She was currently mixing three vials of smoking potions all varying shades of yellow.

Rose spat out some blood, red liquid dribbling from her mouth. Her chest seemed to heave. She choked some more but it was all controllable. Her eyes seemed to scan the room frantically, almost hazy. She was in pain if her gasping sounds were anything to go by. Keep her lucid, let's work on that.

"Rose can you hear me? Don't speak, just blink if you can." _Blink_. Okay, now what?

"You're going to be okay. Now, am I holding up two fingers? Blink."

She blinked, gasping a little as her throat was once again cleared. I also decided to cast a Tergeo over her face.

"Scorpius dear please can pass her arm over? I'll need to hook this up. There's a good lad!"

She was holding a cocktail bag of healing potions hooked to a tube ending with a needle. A make-shift drip. She cleaned Rose's arm and attached the drip. Rose's eyes started watering immediately.

"Is that normal?" I ask, as Rose tries to weakly rip the needle out of her skin. I pinned her hand down.

"Yes it is. Can you open up her shirt dear? I need to confirm things..."

Had it been under different circumstances, I would've disagreed with the witch. I quickly opened the buttons of her shirt. Rose started choking again, which I cleared up once again.

Her skin was deathly pale, saving for the region near her stomach which looked red and tender. Madam Pomfrey advanced with her wand.

 _Flash!_

The raw red region of skin was now translucent. It gave a semi-clear image of the insides. And then it was normal skin once more.

"My word!" Pomfrey cried.

"What is it?"

"A peptic ulcer. Scorpius dear _do keep up_! I can't treat her here but we needed her stable before she left this bed! Now, I think it's safe to give her some painkilling potions. If you could be so kind-?"

I ran to the potions storage. The potions weren't hard to find, seeing that they smelled like a sweet shop gone stale.

"You're a charm dear, can you keep an eye on her as I call St. Mungo's? It'll be only a few minutes!" I nodded as Madam Pomfrey bustled into her office.

Rose's eyes seemed to droop under the effects of the painkillers. That wouldn't do.

" _Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

 _Teach us something please,_

 _Whether we be old and bald,_

 _Or young with scabby knees,_

 _Our heads could do with filling,_

 _With some interesting stuff..._ "

I trailed off, feeling ridiculous as Rose stared me, trying to make sense of what I was singing. My voice was awful enough to grab her attention.

A moment later, five healers wearing St Mungo's brown robes rushed in with a stretcher to put Rose on. I tried to come along but a healer shooed me away.

I quietly sat down on a chair. The hospital wing was a bleak looking place with milk-white walls and grey tiles. One of the walls had a crack running through it, breaking the monotony that the stark white colour was trying to promote. It was comfortably quiet, with a trickle of white noise seeping through.

Then they were gone. Rose was gone. The place felt oddly empty as Madam Pomfrey decided to bustle about tidying things.

I put my head in my hands.

 **Another note- A Peptic ulcer is a sore that develops on the lining of the esophagus, stomach or small intestine. It's remarkably common but in this case I attribute the cause to Rose's illness than a bacterial infection. It explains her eating patterns and urges. And yes, I used Hoggy Warty Hogwarts. I simply had to. Scorpius has some very, very basic medical know how due to an accident in his third year that made him temporarily lose hearing (mentioned in story but still thought it'd be helpful to mention it) . I decided to make up a diagnostic spell due to the lack of ultrasound. This story is overdue in the editing department for which I apologise.**


End file.
